Ohio State dominates Indiana

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Behind nine wins, the sixth ranked Ohio State wrestling team defeated Indiana, 36-3, in Bloomington, Ind., Friday night at University Gym. The Buckeyes improve to 8-2 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten. Indiana falls to 6-5 overall and 0-3 in the conference.

The Scarlet and Gray will continue league action at 2 p.m. Sunday when they host No. 19 Wisconsin in St. John Arena.

The Buckeyes jumped out to an 18-0 lead after winning their first four matches of the evening. Senior Nikko Triggas opened the match with a takedown vs. Joe Duca in the 125-pound bout and 40 seconds later pinned the Hoosier to lift Ohio State to a 6-0 advantage.

Remaining in the starting lineup at 133 pounds, redshirt freshman Kyle Visconti earned an 8-2 win vs. Alonzo Shepherd. Visconti maintained a slim lead throughout the match, including a 5-2 advantage at the end of the second period. A 3-point nearfall with 35 seconds left on the clock helped the Buckeye from North Reading, Mass., earn his second varsity win of the season and his career.

With his win in the 141-pound match, sophomore Hunter Stieber improved to 22-0 on the season after notching his first technical fall of the 2012-13 campaign. A 16-1 winner over Joe Randazzo, Stieber has collected 11 bonus point victories this season, including a team-leading eight major decisions.

Buckeye teammate Cam Tessari scored Ohio State's second consecutive bonus win and third of the first four bouts when he posted a 14-4 major decision over Preston Keiffer at 149 pounds. Boasting an 11-1 lead at the start of the third period, Tessari added a takedown and riding time for the victory.

Indiana's 157-pounder and 12th-ranked Taylor Walsh earned a 4-2 win over Buckeye Josh Demas to give the Hoosiers their first points of the match.

Following a 15 minute intermission, Ohio State freshman and 165-pounder Mark Martin returned the Scarlet and Gray to the win column after his 6-4 overtime win vs. Ryan Konz, who started in place of the injured Ryan LeBlanc. Martin was down 4-2 in the third period, but answered with a takedown with 23 seconds on the clock to send the match to overtime. Another takedown by Martin with nine seconds left in sudden victory secured his 15th win of the season.

Ohio State moved into a 24-3 lead courtesy of redshirt junior Nick Heflin's 4-0 win vs. Cheney Dale at 174 pounds. A pair of scoreless periods in the first and third countered a second period in which Heflin recorded an escape and takedown and accrued riding time.

Senior C.J. Magrum used a takedown with 25 seconds left in the match to beat Luke Sheridan, 6-4, in the 184-pound bout. Magrum and Sheridan were tied, 2-2, entering the third period and Sheridan quickly took a 3-2 lead on an escape five seconds into the period. However Magrum answered with a takedown at the 1:24 mark before Sheridan recorded his second escape of the period to even the score. It was then Magrum countered with a takedown to earn his sixth win of the season.

After Indiana forfeited the 197-pound bout, heavyweights Peter Capone, ranked No. 12, and No. 13 Adam Chalfant concluded the evening with a close match. With both wrestlers scoreless at the beginning of the second period, Chalfant chose bottom to start. Capone was able to ride the Hoosier out for 1:18 seconds before Chalfant was able to escape. Owning the riding time advantage to start the third period, Capone was able to quickly escape and held on for the 2-1 win.